For Immediate Release
March 5, 2021
Media Contact:
Chelsea Hedquist
chelsea@lantosfoundation.org
+1 603.229.2017
Lantos Foundation Announces Activist Artist Scholarship Winners
Three New Hampshire High School Seniors to Receive A Total $10,000 in Scholarship Funds
CONCORD: The Lantos Foundation for Human Rights & Justice today announced that Taylor Kenison, a senior from Newmarket Jr/Sr High School, has received the top award for its first-ever Activist Artist Scholarship competition. Ms. Kenison’s winning essay examined the impact of two separate pieces of art that address the pressing issue of human trafficking, and it described her own aspirations to attend law school and advocate on behalf of trafficking victims. She wrote that, while she is not a talented artist in the same form as those whose work she examined in the essay, “eventually through pen and voice I hope to influence progress to end human servitude in all forms.” Ms. Kenison will receive a $5,000 scholarship to be paid to Dartmouth College, which she will attend this fall.
The Foundation also awarded two runner-up prizes of $2,500 each to Michelle Eweka of Bow High School and Prescott Herzog of Stevens High School. Ms. Eweka received her award for her stirring original poem, “The Ceiling”, and its accompanying essay, while Mr. Herzog’s provocative winning essay focused on the impact of actor/rapper Childish Gambino’s “This is America” music video. Mr. Herzog will attend Dartmouth College in the fall, and Ms. Eweka has not yet committed to a university.
Katrina Lantos Swett, President of the Lantos Foundation, said, “We were inspired and deeply impressed by the dozens of thoughtful, thought-provoking and sophisticated applications that we received. The wealth of talent and intellect on display was a testament to the power and potential of New Hampshire’s youth. We are so delighted to honor these three outstanding young scholars and to support their continuing education. We hope that the experience of participating in the scholarship competition will motivate our winners, and all the participants, to continue shining a light on human rights issues and using their considerable talents to advocate for change.”
The Activist Artist Scholarship, launched in October 2020, challenged applicants to examine the influence of a particular Activist Artist and show how that artist used his/her medium to influence, inform and inspire during their lifetime or beyond. Alternatively, applicants were given the option to submit their own original piece of activist art. The scholarship competition was open to all New Hampshire residents graduating high school in Spring 2021 and intending to enroll in a 2- or 4-year college program. Funding for the scholarship was generously provided through a grant from the Bank of New Hampshire.
“Giving back to our communities is not just about making the donation, it’s about making a difference,” said Cydney Shapleigh, EVP – Chief Wealth Management and Retail Banking Officer for Bank of New Hampshire. “Like the applicants for the Activist Artist Scholarship, we embrace our responsibility to be a leading corporate citizen. By supporting organizations like the Lantos Foundation, we can help strengthen our communities and enhance the lives of our neighbors in impactful ways.”
The scholarship winners were selected by a distinguished panel of judges from the New Hampshire arts and education communities, and beyond, including: Concord film-maker John Gfroerer, New Hampshire artist and gallery owner Pam Tarbell, Lantos Foundation Board of Trustees Member Ambassador Richard Swett , Bank of New Hampshire’s Cydney Shapleigh, Lantos Foundation President Dr. Katrina Lantos Swett, and Duke University student and former Lantos Foundation intern Daniel Wolf.
The Activist Artist Scholarship program falls within the Lantos Foundation’s “Global Citizenship” area of work. The Foundation recognizes the powerful, yet often overlooked, role that artists play in the human rights movement. Through the Activist Artist Scholarship and other programs, the Foundation seeks to encourage, support and elevate the work of artists who use their mediums to advocate for important causes.
To learn more about the Foundation’s Activist Artist work and to stay updated on future awards, visit: https://www.lantosfoundation.org/activist-artist
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About the Lantos Foundation for Human Rights & Justice: The Lantos Foundation was established in 2008 to carry forward the legacy of Congressman Tom Lantos, the only Holocaust survivor ever elected to the U.S. Congress and a leading human rights champion. Based in Concord, NH, the Foundation works with a range of partners and often in cooperation with the U.S. Government on issues that span the globe. The Foundation’s key areas of focus include human rights issues related to religious freedom, rule of law, internet freedom and activist art. The Foundation also administers the Lantos Congressional Fellows Program, supports human rights advocates, activists and artists through its Front Line Fund grant program, and awards the annual Lantos Human Rights Prize to honor and bring attention to heroes of the human rights movement. Past recipients of the Prize include His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Professor Elie Wiesel, Israeli President Shimon Peres, Iraqi Parliamentarian Vian Dakhil, “Hotel Rwanda” hero Paul Rusesabagina, and Hong Kong Democracy activist Joshua Wong, among others.